handgun

[ hand-guhn ]

/ ˈhændˌgʌn /

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See synonyms for handgun on Thesaurus.com

noun

any firearm that can be held and fired with one hand; a revolver or a pistol.

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Origin of handgun

First recorded in 1400–50, handgun is from the late Middle English word handgone.See hand, gun¹

Words nearby handgun

hand, foot, and mouth disease, handful, hand glass, hand grenade, handgrip, handgun, handheld, handheld computer, handhold, handholding, hand horn

How to use handgun in a sentence

Reid previously faced a jail sentence of up to 23 months for his role in a 2007 road rage incident in which he allegedly wielded a handgun.
As police continue probe of Britt Reid crash, 5-year-old remains in critical condition|Rick Maese|February 9, 2021|Washington Post
Police said the man had a holstered handgun and ammunition in his vehicle.
The fortress around downtown D.C. is being dismantled. But heightened security may remain.|Emily Davies, Michael Brice-Saddler, Peter Hermann|January 21, 2021|Washington Post
At some point, Ocran “displayed a handgun” and was shot by at least one of the officers, according to Gaithersburg Police Chief Mark Sroka.
Montgomery County records a sixth homicide in 2021|Dan Morse|January 14, 2021|Washington Post
Some participants were dressed in fatigues and carried semi-automatic rifles, handguns or tactical equipment.
'A Real Nightmare.' State Capitols Are Racing to Catch Up to the Far-Right Threat|Vera Bergengruen|January 14, 2021|Time

Gaithersburg Police Chief Mark Sroka said Friday night that the man being pursued “displayed a handgun” near an apartment complex.
Police identify man fatally shot by Gaithersburg officers|Rebecca Tan, Martin Weil|January 11, 2021|Washington Post
In states that require a background check for every handgun sale, 38 percent fewer women are shot to death by intimate partners.
Use Your Vote to Take Stand Against Domestic Violence|Shannon Watts|October 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He qualified as “sharpshooter” on the M1911A1-45 ACP handgun in 1994.
The (Sloppy) Swift-Boating of Michigan Democrat Gary Peters|Tim Mak|October 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He swaggered into the school cafeteria that day with a .22 caliber handgun and started shooting randomly.
How To Plan A Jailbreak|Seth Ferranti|September 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
When the only option for carrying a handgun is to carry concealed, it unfairly discriminates against women and professionals.
A Gun Owner Speaks: My Case for Open Carry|CJ Grisham|June 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
At 1:52 pm, Platt received a phone call informing him that a handgun had been used in the killing of German.
The Teen Love Letters that Led to a Tragic Murder-Suicide in Florida|Michael Daly|March 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It's difficult to fire a handgun accurately while in motion.
The Status Civilization|Robert Sheckley
He reached inside his blouse and took out a fully loaded handgun.
The Highest Treason|Randall Garrett
But if you have ever fired a handgun, you don't even think about recoil.
Warren Commission (3 of 26): Hearings Vol. III (of 15)|The President's Commission on the Assassination of President Kennedy
He pointed at the little handgun he was still holding in his hand.
The Eyes Have It|Gordon Randall Garrett
A beef-faced squire on a pirouetting horse loosed off his gun at Revel, who snatched a handgun from his belt and fired back.
The Buttoned Sky|Geoff St. Reynard

British Dictionary definitions for handgun

handgun

/ (ˈhændˌɡʌn) /

noun

a firearm that can be held, carried, and fired with one hand, such as a pistol

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

handgun

Origin of handgun

Words nearby handgun

Words related to handgun

How to use handgun in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for handgun